


An Unexpected Boon

by suzyturquoiseblue03



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin - Fandom, Robin: Son of Batman (Comics)
Genre: Gen, deaged Tim, deaging
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 02:31:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13090542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/suzyturquoiseblue03/pseuds/suzyturquoiseblue03
Summary: When Damian and Tim accidentally help a Witch she grants them an unusual boon.(I posted this once before but took it down to integrate it into another work. It doesn't fit after all so I'm editing and reposting).





	1. Chapter 1

Damian Wayne was standing across from Wayne Tower when the cat streaked past him into the street. Even if the driver of the car had wanted to stop they would never have had a chance to, fortunately, the cat bounced off the front passenger wheel and was thrown away from the car rather than under it.

Damian had realized what was going to happen from the moment he had felt the cat brush his ankle and was moving before the car and cat impacted. Rushing into the street he scooped the cat up without pausing and raced to the other side of the intersection as cars drivers traveling in both directions honked their horns and leaned out their windows to curse at him. Ignoring their indignation Damian cradled the cat gently as he slipped through the front doors of Wayne Tower and made his way to the private elevator that would take him to Tim Drake-Wayne’s office.

”Hey, Damian.” Drake greeted Damian when the elevator doors opened. “I’ve just got to - is that a cat?”

Damian bit back a sarcastic remark, because of an internal voice that, as always, sounded annoyingly like Grayson was reminding him that, “this is a chance to prove you’ve changed - to build a relationship - but you need to be nice.”

Another voice, this one sounding much more like Damian himself, retorted, “he won’t notice. He never notices. He doesn’t care.”

Still, all he said was, “it got ran over in front of the Tower.”

Drake stood and pressed a button on his phone. “Tam, I’m leaving for the evening. Please let Jenkins know that I’ll get to those reports he sent me as soon as I can. And please call Dr. Franklin and let him know that Damian and I are bringing in a cat that was struck by a car - we should be there in fifteen minutes.”

Three hours after Damian had arrived at Wayne Tower Drake was driving them to the Manor so they could eat and prepare for patrol. Although Drake had his own apartment in Gotham he was currently staying at the manor with Damian because a case had taken Father, and therefore Alfred, to Europe at a time when Grayson was already out of the country as well. Father said Damian had to remain in Gotham because of school but Damian knew that it was really because he was angry with Damian for disobeying his orders in the field – again.  
As Father had stood before Damian and Drake in the Bat Cave giving them last minute patrol instructions and warning him that he expected to find them both alive and uninjured upon his return, Damian had remembered overhearing a girl in his class bragging about how she had won an argument with her father.

”I just threatened to move in with Mom” she had told her friend.

Damian was sure that if tried that on Father the only response he would get would be, “if that’s what you would prefer.” Then Father would tell Drake to take him to Mother before jetting off to fight crime. He would probably be relieved to see Damian go. Damian knew Drake would be.

As soon as Father was gone Damian had called Grayson and left a message his voice mail that almost begged to be allowed to join him on his mission but Grayson had just sent him a text a few hours later that had read:

**u 2 have been doing well on patrol. this is a chance 2 work on your daytime relationship :) just remember 2 treat him how you want him 2 treat u (be nice!) <3 u**

Damian had to admit that the past week had not been completely horrible. Robin and Red Robin had continued to work “well,” and Damian and Drake had tolerated each other - mostly by interacting as little as possible.

Drake knocked on Damian’s door in the mornings to make sure he was getting ready for school, then they ate breakfast in silence before Drake drove Damian to school.

After school Drake had requested that Damian come straight to Wayne Tower, and check in with him after school. Damian’s first instinct had been to argue but the Grayson voice in his head had compelled him to agree instead.

When he had arrived in Drake’s office that first day Damian had found the older boy sitting in front of three monitors and and a laptop, talking on the office phone while doing something on his cell phone, and looking completely ragged with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his tie loosened, and his hair sticking in all directions as though he had been pulling on it. The same sight had greeted him every day afterward, and every day when Tim had hung up the call he was on when Damian entered they had the same exchange.

Still standing just outside the elevator Damian would say, ”good afternoon, Drake. What do you want me to do?”

What he was trying to ask was, “what is happening here? Why do you seem so overwhelmed? How can I help?”

Drake would indicate a table in the corner of his office, “Your homework. You need to have it done before we go home. I don’t need your teachers complaining you can’t stay awake at school.”

What Damian heard was, “stay out of my way,” so he would settle himself at the table biting back further questions and commentary, and Tim would return to work, until it was time to return to the Manor where they would silently prepare and eat one of the meals Alfred had left them before heading down to the cave.

”What are you going to name her?” Drake inquired, nodding to the cat that was passed out in Damian’s lap. Dr. Franklin had diagnosed her with a broken leg, cracked ribs, and a concussion after numerous tests and splinted the leg, wrapped the ribs and given them antibiotics and pain medicine for her.

While the vet staff had been running the tests Drake had surprised Damian by suggesting they run to the pet store to get an extra litter box and cat bed because, “Google says a new cat should be introduced to the house slowly, so she’ll need her own room for awhile, especially since she’s hurt.” Their purchases were in the trunk.

Damian studied the sleeping cat. ”I’m no-”

Damian’s breath was knocked out of him as Tim’s arm struck him across the chest. He felt both panic and surprise. Surprise because nothing about the other boy’s behavior had been in the slightest bit hostile from the moment Damian had arrived in his office with the injured cat, or all week really, and panic because he wasn’t sure how to begin defending himself while holding the injured cat.

“Hold on,” Drake yelled.

Damian looked at him in bewilderment. Finally, the screeching of the cars tires registered in his mind. Then the car began to spin.

Tim Drake should not have been able to control the car through that spin. He certainly should not have been able to do it one-handed, as his other arm was occupied pinning Damian to the passenger seat, but Red Robin could and did.

After bringing the car to a halt on the shoulder of the wrong side of the road Drake turned to Damian.

“Are you all right?” He demanded.

Damian stared at Drake in bemusement. The older boy’s arm was still stretched across Damian’s chest his hand gripping Damian’s arm painfully and the expression on Drake’s face reminded Damian very much of the expression that Grayson wore anytime Damian was foolish or careless enough to let someone he was fighting injure him.

”Damian! Are you okay?” Drake repeated.

”Yes.”

Drake’s arm fell away as he leaned back in the driver’s seat. “Thank god. I think I’d rather face Penguin or even Two-Face, you know? At least there’s some warning . . . usually.”

Damian blinked at him. “Um, what happened? That made the car -”

”The woman!” Drake cut him off. “Did I miss the woman?”

He began fumbling with his seatbelt as Damian turned to survey the road. “That woman?” He asked.

A brunette woman in her mid-twenties stood about two meters in front of Drake’s car. She wore blue jeans with holes in the knees, combat boots, a white tank top, and several silver necklaces, multiple silver earrings in each ear, and at least one silver ring on each finger, as well as several silver bangles on each arm. Although he couldn’t be sure without a closer look at the jewelry there was something about it that made Damian suspect it was ceremonial.

Drake looked up. “Yes. She was standing in the middle of our lane. Like, one second she wasn’t there and the next she was. I couldn’t stop.” He opened his door. “Stay here.”

Damian rolled his eyes. “—Tt—” Shifting the cat into one arm he opened the door and joined Drake in front of the car.

”Miss?” Drake was asking. “Are you all right?”

The woman tilted her head. “I should be asking you that. Also, you have something that belongs to me.”

”We’re fine. What is that you believe we have?” Drake inquired.

”I didn’t actually ask.” The woman pointed out. “And I don’t believe.” She strode toward them and Damian felt Drake tense beside him, ready to fight, and wished he had left the cat in the car. “I can see my Clements right here.” She stopped in front of Damian and held out her arms.

”Clements?” Damian asked.

At the same time, Drake spluttered, “the cat? You stood in front of our car - risked my brother’s life because of a cat?”

”My familiar.” The woman answered, seemingly to them both. She took the cat from Damian. “What did you do to her?”

Drake slid sideways imposing himself between Damian and the woman. “We took her to the vet after my brother rescued her from the street where she’d rushed out in front of a car.”

She studied them for a moment before looking down at the cat murmuring unintelligibly to it. Drake took the opportunity to slip an arm behind himself, grab the front of Damian’s shirt, and urge him to shuffle back toward the passenger side door.

”You helped my Clements. I owe you a boon.” The woman suddenly declared.

Drake froze his grip on Damian’s shirt pulling him to a halt as well. “Thank you. That’s not -”

A ring glowed on the woman’s left hand as she waved it in a complicated pattern. Drake vanished.

”What did you do? You idiotic witch! Bring him back!” Damian shouted and lunged at her. The woman lifted into the air out of his reach.

”Temper, Little One. He’s in the back seat. Children need to be in car seats, after all. Don’t worry, it will only last - well, as long as it needs to, but it’s not permanent.” Then she vanished.

Damian raced back to the car and peered into the back seat. On the mantle at Grayson’s apartment, there was a framed picture of Grayson in his Flying Grayson’s uniform with a four-year-old Tim Drake perched on his knee. The boy in the car seat in the back of Drake’s car was slightly older than the Tim Drake in that picture but there was no doubt in Damian’s mind that it was indeed Tim Drake.


	2. Chapter 2

”Dami, what’s up?”

Damian would forever swear that he did not breathe a sigh of relief at the sound of Grayson’s voice. After the witch had vanished he had driven the sleeping Drake and himself the few remaining miles home before carrying the smaller boy into the Manor’s main sitting room and depositing him on the couch with Titus standing guard. Then Damian had escaped up to his room to call Grayson - there was no point in calling Father, even when Grandfather had sent ninjas after Damian all Father had done was send Grayson - Mother had not thought to include childcare in Damian’s otherwise extensive training, and even if Drake had retained his faculties Damian doubted that he would want to be alone with Damian in this compromised state.

”Drake is a child.” He informed Grayson in a tone that could only be described as aggrieved. Why would that blasted witch think that this was a boon? Imbecilic magic workers.

Grayson’s responding sigh was audible and clearly exasperated. “Damian. I don’t have time for this.”

”But-”

”No Damian.” Grayson’s voice was stern. “Whatever problems you and Tim are having you’re going to have to work them out yourselves - without violence.”

Two voices began yelling in the background. Damian couldn’t make out the words but the recognized the voices. ”Is that Todd? And Father?”

Grayson’s sigh this time was even more exasperated. “Yes. Turns out that the cases we were working were all one case.” 

The yelling increased in volume. “Dami, Alfred needs backup. I’ve gotta go.”

”But Grayson, you don’t understand -”

“Goodbye, Damian,” and then the line was dead.

Damian glared at the phone in his hand for a helpless moment then thumbed through his contacts to Oracle’s number.

”Make it quick, kid, we’re going to be out of range in just a few seconds.” Babs informed him briskly. 

Damian dropped down on his bed, “You are on a mission?”

”With the Birds of Prey.” Oracle confirmed.”

”Batgirl and Blackbat?” Damian already knew the answer.

”With us. What’s up, kid?” Oracle confirmed. 

”Nothing important. Good luck.” Damian hung up before Oracle could respond.

Damian glared up at his ceiling. For a moment he considered alerting the Teen Titans to Drake’s condition then discarded the thought, this was something to be kept in the family. “I am on my own. I will succeed,” he thought. 

After changing out of his school uniform Damian returned to the living room where he had left Drake. Drake was awake and was perched on the edge of the couch. The fact that Drake was tentatively petting Titus, who was lolling his head in Drake’s lap, rather than looking for Damian and demanding an account of events inclined Damian to believe that he had not retained his faculties. Damian crossed the room to stand in front of Drake who peered up at him shyly. _Definitely a child then._

“Is he your dog?”

Damian had been puzzling how he might broach a conversation with a small child but when the subject was Titus he could speak to anyone. “Yes. His name is Titus. He is a Great Dane.”

Drake nodded seriously and turned back to Titus. “Hello, Titus. It’s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Timothy Drake, but you can call me Tim.”

”Titus likes you, Timothy.” Damian was sure that Titus recognized Timothy as Drake even in his current state.

Timothy smiled up at Damian as he continued to pet Titus. “Is this your house, um -?”

”Damian. My name is Damian Wayne and yes, this is my father’s house.” _Our father’s house._

Timothy’s brow wrinkled, “like Bruce Wayne? He’s my neighbor.”

”Yes. Bruce Wayne is my father.”  
Any vestiges of reserve and shyness vanished fell from Timothy’s face. “Does that mean Dick Grayson is your brother? He’s very nice! I met him once at the circus. He hugged me, and we had our picture taken together.” His face fell. “But then his Mommy and Daddy died. That’s why he lives with Mr. Wayne now but I didn’t know he had a brother.”

Damian nodded. “Grayson is my elder brother.” He grinned at Timothy feeling somehow compelled to cheer the other boy. “Don’t tell him I told you, but he is indeed fairly tolerable.”

Timothy giggled. The sound seemed to surprise Timothy and Damian watched in amusement as the younger boy’s cheeks and ears turned red, and Timothy momentarily buried his face in Titus’ neck. Damian seated himself on the sofa next to Timothy, as Titus patiently allowed the younger boy to play with his ears.

”How old are you, Timothy?”

Timothy wrinkled his nose and rubbed a hand through his hair. "I think five, but falling asleep made me muzzy."

He looked around the room in confusion. "Are we at a party?" 

Before Damian could think of a response, Timothy chattered on. "It's very quiet for a party."

Suddenly Timothy's shoulders slumped and he rubbed at his forehead. "My parents forgot me again, didn't they? Have they called yet?"

Damian blinked. Just what kind of parents had Drake had that he would so easily assume that they had forgotten him? Damian quickly pushed away a memory of Grayson telling him that he and Drake had more in common than he imagined, instead he seized on an idea drifting at the edges of his mind. He smiled down at Timothy in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. "No they did not forget you. They were called away on an urgent business matter, and decided you should stay with me for a few days."

Timothy did not look reassured. "What happened to Ms. Mac?" He asked.

Damian was desperately wishing he had paid more attention when Grayson had tried to talk to him about Drake. "Who is Ms. Mac?"

Timothy's confusion was clearly becoming distrust. He tried to scoot away from Damian but the bulk of Titus' head in his lap held him in place. "Ms. Mac is our housekeeper _she_ stays with me when my parents go out of town."  

Damian mimed sudden recognition. "Oh yes, Ms. Mac. I heard your parents discussing her with my father. It seems she had to quit suddenly - an ill relative or some such. That is why your parents needed you to stay here.

Timothy's breaths had started to come in sharp little gasps. "M-m-ms. M-m-mac q-q-quit?" His voice was barely audible and when he looked up at Damian his big blue eyes were glistening with tears. "B-b-but-t. Sh-sh-e-e. Did-dn't. S-say. Goo-good-bye." His voice reached a low wail on 'bye,' the tears spilled over his eyes, and Timothy's body began shaking with sobs as he buried his face in Titus' neck once more.

Damian's first instinct was impatience and scorn. He never would have been allowed to behave himself in such a manner at the age of five. Only the Grayson voice in his head telling him that he should have been allowed emotions, especially at such a young age, and the fact that he could have sworn Titus was looking at him reproachfully kept him from voicing his disdain. 

After the first wave of impatience had passed Damian felt a bit of kinship with the younger boy. Timothy had not cried on realizing that his parents were absent only after Damian had told him that this Ms. Mac had left the Drake's employ. It was clear that the Drake's were absent often enough that this Ms. Mac was like family to the boy - it was a situation all too familiar to Damian. It was not something he would ever admit to Pennyworth, but if Pennyworth were ever to leave the family's service without farewelling Damian he would feel quite bereft as well. Damian found himself hoping that however Ms. Mac had left the Drake family she and Drake had gotten to say their proper farewells.

He could not let the situation stand. Damian rubbed Timothy's back gently. "I apologize for distressing you, Timothy. I lied when I said Ms. Mac quit."

Timothy shot upright and scowled at Damian. The scowl was reminiscent of the look Damian was used to receiving from Drake, if somewhat less menacing and cuter in miniature. "Why would you lie like that?"

Damian sighed heavily and raked his fingers through his hair. "I was trying to find a way to explain to you what was happening, but I should not have lied to you. I hate it when people try to lie to me just because they think I am a child and it was wrong of me to do that to you. I apologize."

Timothy sniffed and frowned at Damian. "I might forgive you." He announced. "If you tell me the truth."

Damian did not respond immediately, instead, he weighed his options. He had already bungled the situation once. Even if he had been able to convince Timothy of his initial story how would he have explained away the absence of adults  in the house? Timothy was not an unintelligent child - in just a few years he would unmask Batman and Robin and follow them around Gotham undetected for years. Loathe as Damian had been to admit it when they first met there was a reason that Drake had both become Robin and caught the attention of The Demon's Head.

There was also the fact that Damian had not been exaggerating his distaste for being lied to because of his age. Perhaps if Father, Grayson or Pennyworth were here they would spin a tale to protect Timothy from the truth but not only did Damian not see a way to manage that he did not see a reason for it, so drawing in a deep breath he extended a hand to Timothy and offered, "it would be easier for me to show you than tell you." 

It was only after Damian assured Timothy that Titus would be accompanying them that Timothy slid off the couch so that they could proceed to Father's study with one of Timothy's hand's clutched in Damian's and the other wrapped around Titus' collar. Timothy's eyes widened as Damian slid the grandfather clock to the side and entered the code for the elevator. 

He drew in a deep breath as they stepped out into the Batcave and by the time Damian brought their group to halt before the case containing the Batsuit Timothy was gripping Damian's hand so hard it hurt and bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet.

"Do you understand where I've brought you, Timothy?" Damian inquired.

"This is where Batman lives. Batman lives under your house." Timothy whispered reverently. "That's his suit." 

His eyes widened and he tugged on Damian's hand. "And that's Robin's suit!" 

Damian allowed the boy to lead him to the case that contained Grayson's first suit. "Yes. This was Grayson's Robin suit." He told Timothy. He led him to the next case, "and this was his first Nightwing suit when he retired the Robin." Damian made a face at the DiscoWing suit. "And this is the suit he currently wears as Nightwing."

Timothy frowned up at him, "who's Nightwing?"

Damian pretended not to hear as he led him on down the row of suits. "This is my other brother, Jason Todd's, Robin suit. And the Red Hood suit he took up after he retired Robin." No need to scare the boy with details.  
   
"Jason?" he heard Timothy murmur in confusion. Damian continued to pretend not to hear him and led him to the third Robin suit, the one with green leggings.

And this was your first Robin suit, Timothy.” Damian ignored Timothy’s startled squawk and propelled him past the red and black Robin suit to the case where Drake’s first Red Robin suit was displayed. “And this is the first Red Robin suit, the title you took after Robin.” Damian finally stopped their forward momentum and turned to study Timothy who was studying the line of display cases.

”Who’s is that?” Timothy pointed to the case next to the Red Robin case.

”That was my first Robin suit,” Damian answered. “My current one is not much different but I have grown since I took the title so Pennyworth hung the original here.”

Timothy seemed to mull this information over and found it acceptable before turning back to the Red Robin suit. “This is to big for me.” He announced.

Damian nodded. “In your current state, yes, but as you normally are this particular suit would actually be too small.” 

Damian knelt so that he could look Timothy in the eyes. “You see Timothy, you are not five years old. You are nineteen. The reason your head feels ‘muzzy’ as you said earlier is that a witch cast a spell on you that made you a child again.”

Timothy silently studied Damian for several moments before finally asking, “a witch?”

Damian nodded.  
”If I’m really big why would a witch want to make me little?”

”We rescued her familiar. She said she was giving us a boon - a gift. The ways of magic workers can often be mysterious, so I am not sure. We may discover it in time.”

Timothy nodded. “You said that I used to be Robin. How did that happen?”

”You discovered the identities of the original Robin, Dick Grayson, and Batman, my father, Bruce Wayne. After Jason was . . . done being Robin you presented yourself and offered to be Robin.”  
”Then you became Robin and I became Red Robin?” Timothy queried.

”In essence.” Damian murmured. He brightened as an idea occurred to him. 

“I could show you pictures, Timothy. Of yourself over the years, as Robin and Red Robin. I know Father will have them on the computer. Then you will know I am telling you the truth.

Timothy smiled. “That would be cool, but I believe you. It’s just - big - to understand.”

Damian felt an odd sense of relief fluttering in him. “Yes. I’m sure it is.”

The sense of relief rushed away as Timothy smile faded. “Damian? Are we the only ones here?”

”Yes. Everyone else is away on missions. You and I were guarding Gotham.” Damian admitted.

Timothy was clearly troubled. “Then if I’m supposed to be bigger than you, aren’t I supposed to be taking care of you - like Ms. Mac takes care of me when Mother and Father are gone?”

”Tt, Timothy, I promise you I can take care of both of us. It was only silliness on Father’s part to believe I needed a caretaker.” 

Another thought occurred to Damian. “And you must not worry about any of Father’s or your villains bothering you. You are my brother and I promise I will protect you from any harm.”

”I know.”

Damian arched his brows at the younger boy. “You do?”

Timothy placed his hands on Damian’s shoulders and positively beamed at him. “Of course, you’re Robin.”


End file.
